Mail-box support.



J. M. WATSON.

MAIL BOX SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23, 1909.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

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JAMES M. WATSON, OF ECRU, MISSISSIPPI.

MAIL-BOX SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 2-3, 1909.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909. Serial No. 491,731.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES M. TVATSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ecru, in the county of Pontotoc and State of Mississippi,have invented new and useful Mail-Box Supports, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to mail box supports, and has for its object toprovide a device of that kind which will enable the supported letter boxto be swung into the buggy of the rural mail carrier and the mail takenup and deposited without danger of being wet during the transfer inrainy weather.

Another object is to provide a device that is out of reach of passingvehicles, but can be readily swung into operative position by the ruralcarrier.

Still another object is to provide a device that will be simple inconstruction, cheap in manufacture, and will be impervious to all kindsof weather and climate.

lVith these advantages and other objects in view, which will be shown inthe following specification and set forth in the claims, my inventionembraces the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whereinFigure 1 is a perspective view of the support in applied position. Fig.2 is a perspective view of a modification of same. Fig. 3 is a detailelevation of the grasping hook.

In a more detailed description of my invention, in which like charactersof reference designate similar parts in the views shown, (1) is a postof the usual kind, having a projecting cross arm, (2) preferably ofwood, suitably secured to its top. A tubular shank is vertically securedto the post by the staples (4c) and (5) disposed adjacent the oppositeends of the shank, and adapted to allow the shank to be freely rotatedon its longitudinal axis. One end of the shank is screw threaded intothe elbow (6). The opposite end of this elbow is also provided withscrew threads on its inner surface to engage the screw threaded end ofthe sleeve (7) which projects from said elbow in a plane at right anglesto the plane of the shank (3). The sleeve (7) is provided with a pair ofslots (9) disposed on diametrically opposite points of the sleeve, thepurpose of which will hereafter be explained.

A screw threaded bracket (10) having the head. bent over at right anglesto the shaft thereof, is screwed into the postat a point below and inaxial alinement with the staples (at) and (5), the head of the bracketbeing adapted to project into the base of the tubular shank (3), thebracket with its projecting head forming both a support and a bearingfor this shank. This bracket is so placed that the tubular arm will beelevated sutliciently to cause the sleeve, supported trans verselythereon to extend along the cross arm,

The supporting arm consists essentially of a solid shank (11), adaptedto slidingly fit the bore of the sleeve, (7), and having disposedtransversely at one end a pin (12), whose length is greater than theoutside diameter of the sleeve, (7), so that the ends project throughthe slots (9) and are adapted to slidingly fit in the same. The oppositeend (13) of the supporting arm is bent vertically upward from the sleeveand terminates in a polygonal sided end (14), adapted to receive thereona base plate This base plate is substantially rectangular in contour,preferably made of metal, having an aperture adapted to receive thepolygonal sided end of the supporting arm, and a few blows of a hammeror other implement on the end of the arm, will secure the base platefirmly in place. In order that a mail box may be secured on this plate,a plurality of holes (16) are formed therein, adjacent the corners.

The shank (11) of the supporting arm is adapted to have a sliding motionin the bore of the sleeve and this movement is limited by the length ofthe slots (9) for as may be readily seen by referring to Fig. 1 the armmay be drawn out until the cross pin comes in contact with the end ofthe slots 7 7 and likewise may be shoved back again until the pin comesin contact wit-h the opposite end of the slots. The pin being of a sizeto snugly fit in the slots, prevents any lateral or rocking movement ofthe parts, thus holding the supported letter box stationary in thestrongest breeze.

In order that the supporting arm may be held against the cross arm (2)of the letter box post when not in operation, a latch (17) is provided.This latch is preferably a single piece of wire in shape resembling thefigure 3, and is provided at one end with an eye (18) adapted to bepivotally secured to the side of the cross arm (2) at a point adjacentto the end of the slots \Vhen in operative position, the latch embracesthe slotted part of the SlGGNG (7) in such a manner that the pin is heldfast when at rest in the extremity of its inward movement as shown inFig. 1. Not only is the supporting arm held at rest, but also the sleeveis held fast against the cross arm (2) and neither can be moved fromthat position until the hand latch is raised clear of the sleeve by theoperator.

A eevice of this kind is impervious to all kinds of weather. by the windand cannot be frozen as water will be drained off through the bore ofthe tubular shank as fast as it finds its way into the sleeve (7).

Grasping hook (19) which is simply a lon 'stiif )iece of wire bent overat one end is provided for the rural carrier, to enable him to easilyreach and throw back the latch,

but this hook is not essential to the opera tion of the device as thecarrier may use the butt of his whip or any other long stick to throwback the latch.

A. modified form of my invention is shown in Fig. 2 in which the tubularshank terminates in a pointed end (20). An angle iron (21) is suitablysecured to the post by nails or bolts (22), and is provided with arecess (23) to form a seat for the pointed end of the tubular shank.This angle iron is so placed on the post that the SlQ"6 is extendedalong the cross arm as above de-' scribed.

The device is preferably set up with the projecting arm (2), turned awayfrom the street so that it will at all times be out of the reach ofpassing vehicles. WVhen the rural carrier comes along he stops his buggyalongside the post, reaches in, throws back the latch and pulls thesleeve around until it? projects toward his buggy, when a second pullslides the supporting arm to its outward limit of motion and places theletter box supported thereon, before him in the middle of his buggy. Theexchange of mail may now be made without danger of soiling or wettingthe mail in rainy weather.

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim as new is 1. Thecombination with a mail box post, of a device for supporting a mail boxthereon comprising a turning tubular shank, a sleeve supportedtransversely on said shank, a sliding supporting arm carried in saidsleeve having one end bent upward and adapted to have a letter boxsecuredthereto, means for limiting the sliding motion of said arm in thesleeve, and av latch pivoted on the side of the post to engage thesleeve and hold it against the side of the post.

It cannot oe shaken loose 2. The combination with a mail box post, of adevice for supporting a mail box thereon comprising a tubular turningshank mounted vertically on the post, a slotted sleeve supportedtransversely thereon, a supporting arm slidingly fitted in the sleevehaving one end bent upward and adapted to have a letter box securedthereto, stops on the arm playing in the slots in the sleeve, and meansfor securing said arm in operative position.

3. The combination with a mail box post, of a device for securing a mailbox thereto comprising a tubular turning shank mounted vertically on thepost, a sleeve supported transversely on said shank and havingdiametrically opposed longitudinal slots, a sliding supporting armprovided at one end with a transversely disposed pin projecting throughsaid slots, said supporting arm having one end bent upward to receive abase plate thereon, and means for simultaneously securing and lockingsaid supporting arm in operative position.

4. The combination with a mail box stop, of a device for supporting amail box thereon comprising a tubular turning shank mounted verticallyon said post, a sleeve supported transversely on the upper end of saidshank, a sliding supporting arm carried by said sleeve and having oneend bent upward and terminating in a polygonalsided end adapted toreceive a base plate, and means for holding the arm to the post.

5. The combination with a mail box post, of a device for supporting amail box thereon comprising a tubular turning shank mounted verticallyon the post, a sleeve supported transversely on the upper end of saidshank and having a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal slots, asliding supporting arm provided at one end wit-h a transversely disposedpin slidingly fitting in said slots to limit the sliding motion of saidsupporting arm, said supporting arm having one end bent upward andterminating in a polygonal sided end, a base plate provided with aplurality of holes disposed adjacent its corners for securing a mail boxthereon and a central polygonal opening to engage the polygonal end ofthe arm, and a latch pivotally mounted above the upper end of the shankto embrace said sleeve and lock the said sleeve and supporting arm inoperative position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. \VAT SON.

Vitnesses E. L. BROWNING, EARLE 1mm.

